


It's So Easy to Fall In Love

by ms_superwhoavengelockgermany06



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Awkward Dex, BITTY WEARS GLASSES, Everything is just really freaking cute, Fluff, Gen, He's just here to be a dick, Homophobia, Kent isn't part of the relationship, M/M, Shitty has no chill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-20
Updated: 2016-04-25
Packaged: 2018-05-27 23:00:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6303535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ms_superwhoavengelockgermany06/pseuds/ms_superwhoavengelockgermany06
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The moment each team member falls hopelessly in love with Bitty, plus how they welcome him into their relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Holster

There was an unspoken rule at the Haus when it came to keg parties: the football fraternity was never, ever invited. They were all the rowdiness of the lacrosse frat with none of the fun and all the snootiness of the tennis fraternity with none of the money to buy booze. In short, they sucked, and when they got drunk? Forget about it. They amped up the asshole factor by at least three notches.

That is why Holster was shocked to see a group of football players strolling up to the Haus approximately two hours after the party had been thrown into full swing. They were already three sheets to the wind when they stormed into the living room and shut off Bitty’s iPod - which of course was playing some Beyoncé tune - and plugged in their own music. Bitty had looked downright furious. It had made Holster laugh at the time. 

Holster wasn’t laughing anymore. He watched in horror as one of the football players pushed Bitty slightly, telling him to run back to the living room and dance, since he couldn’t hack it with the big boys. Now, all Holster had ever seen from Bitty was his sweet Southern charm and his kindness. The shorter blonde was as nice as they came. So, naturally, Holster puffed out his chest and went to defend his tiny friend, who would probably be beaten to a pulp by pompous football playing dicks. 

“I bet I can stand on that keg longer than all of y’all.” Bitty challenged. 

“Are you sure, princess? You don’t even look like you could handle a wine cooler.” One player said. 

“I’m very sure, _honey,_ ” Bitty’s voice dripped with a venom Holster had never heard before, “Holster, will you spot me, please?” 

“Bits, you don’t have to do this. These guys are fucking idiots. You don’t have to prove jack shit to them.” Holster said. 

“Oh, sweetheart, I know. But down in the South, we teach trash talkers exactly how to clean out their mouths. Spot me?” 

Holster laughed. “Hell yeah, bro.” 

The football players snickered and went to help Bitty position himself on the keg. Bitty put out a hand to stop them. There was no way he was letting them take this away from him. He would make them eat their words and pay for turning off his Beyoncé. 

“No thanks, y’all. I’ve got this.” Bitty said. 

Then he grabbed the keg handles, gave a little bounce, and lifted himself into a handstand. 

Holster would swear to God that in that moment, he fell in love with Eric Bittle. 

Placing the rubber spout in Bitty’s mouth, Holster began to count. By ten seconds, half the crowd was groaning and doling out cash from lost bets. By twenty, people were starting to cheer Bitty’s name. By forty, the football frat boys were turning red. By sixty, the whole crowd was going ape shit. 

After what seemed like hours, Bitty was finally ready to have his feet on the ground again. Holster helped him down, steadying him as he swayed from the alcohol. This was going to go down in Haus, or even college, history. Who else had ever done a one hundred second keg stand? Bitty giggled as Holster squashed their faces together and screamed ‘red and white’ at the top of his lungs. This had to be what standing up for yourself felt like. Bitty walked up to one of the football players and poked him in the chest. 

“Now, y'all had best turn my Beyoncé back on or so help me, you will go home with no pie.” Bitty said, his words slightly slurred. 

It was then that Holster realized that Bitty was more than a sweet little pie baker. He was a total badass. It took everything Holster had not to kiss him right then and there.


	2. Ransom

Misery comes in many forms, but none matched the misery found in Advanced Anatomy and Physiology. More specifically, the special misery that came with the muscular system and all its memorization and dissections and critical thinking. Maybe Ransom should just switch his major. If there was more of this in his future, he would never survive.

Staring at the screen, Ransom groaned. This was hopeless. He had a test in three days and he could barely distinguish between the muscle types. Don’t even get him started on muscle groupings. He would cry, alright? Someone would have to go pull Holster out of his American Cinema class to come calm him down. Resting his head on the table, Ransom sighed. Everyone had been right. He wasn’t going to be a doctor; he wasn’t good enough. 

“Ransom, are you in there?” Bitty asked, knocking on the door. 

Ransom lifted his head and went to open the door for Bitty. He may be in a sea of sorrow and doubt, but he wouldn’t turn Bitty away. The guy probably had pie for him. If there was ever a time for pie, it was now. 

“Hey, Bitty.” Ransom greeted. 

“Hey...oh, sweetie, you look awful! Are you okay?” Bitty cooed, cupping Ransom’s face to get a closer look at the older boy. 

“I’m good, Bits. A and P is just kicking my ass. I’ll probably have to go to the goddamn study group tonight. Jack’s gonna murder me for missing practice.” 

“Jack will do no such thing. He knows how important classes are.” 

“Well, _I_ don’t want to go to the group. The tutors are dicks. I’d rather be at practice.” 

Bitty frowned. “Well, maybe you should take a little break. If you’re interested, I need someone to make a grocery run for me.” 

Ransom considered Bitty’s offer. Maybe a little time away from the computer would help; just staring at the information would get him nowhere. Plus, he wanted pie, and if Bitty had no supplies, there would no pie, and this already terrible day would get worse. 

“Dude, I got your back. Just write a list.” Ransom said. 

“Thank you! I’ll do that right now.” Bitty said, hugging Ransom tightly. 

Ransom smiled a little, but worry was still settled in the pit of his stomach. He was so screwed. 

****

Ransom struggled with the door to the Haus, his arms loaded down with groceries. Bitty’s list had taken up two pages. The trip had taken almost three hours. The only reason Ransom had come out alive was because Bitty had organized everything into spreadsheet. Thank God for small miracles.

Walking into the kitchen, Ransom caught sight of Bitty and Holster talking at the table. Bitty looked away from Holster and to Ransom, smiling widely. 

“Hi, Ransom! Is there more in the car?” Bitty asked. 

“Nah. I was able to get it all in one trip. Yo, Holster. How was class?” Ransom asked. 

“It was chill, dude. We’re getting into musicals now.” Holster said. 

“Speaking of classes,” Bitty said, sliding a folder over to Ransom, “This is for you. I’ll handle the groceries.” 

Ransom set the grocery bags on the floor before reaching for the folder. Bitty began putting away the contents on the bags as Ransom flipped through the papers. 

They were notes, organized into spreadsheets and charts and graphs. The whole muscular system was displayed in a way that actually made a lick of sense. Ransom looked at Holster, who blew him a kiss. 

“Did you do this, Holster?” Ransom asked. 

“I helped, but it was Bitty’s idea. He said you looked fucking dead, man.” Holster said. 

Ransom looked to Bitty, who was humming softly as he organized the pantry. Oh, man, he was fucked, but not because of anatomy.


	3. Chowder

Chowder had no idea what to do. The baby squirrel was asleep in his cupped hand, its leg grotesquely bent, and Chowder couldn’t bear to leave him where he had found him on the sidewalk. The poor thing was just so small and it was hurt. How could anyone with a heart just leave it to die?

It was a risk, taking the squirrel to the Haus to get help. It was likely to earn Chowder teasing for the rest of the semester. Hockey players weren’t supposed to nurse baby animals back to health. He opened the door to the Haus and was immediately hit with the scent of peaches and vanilla. Bitty was here. 

“Uh, Bitty?” Chowder asked, standing in the doorway of the kitchen. 

Bitty smiled as he turned to face the young goalie. “Hi, Chowder.” 

Chowder bit his lip. It was only Bitty. It wasn’t as if the shorter boy was a perfect, stereotypical hockey player like Jack or Dex. Surely Bitty, of all people, wouldn’t laugh at him. Would he? Chowder sighed. He should just leave before Bitty started chirping him. 

“Is everything okay, Chowder?” Bitty asked softly. 

Bitty’s words broke the dam. Chowder began explaining everything in a rush. 

“Well, I found this squirrel when I was walking back from class and it’s hurt and I picked it up because how could I just let it suffer? And I don’t know what else to do so I brought it here but then I was scared that everyone would laugh at me for bringing a baby animal home because hockey players don’t do that.” Chowder babbled. 

“Chowder, honey, _breathe._ No one’s going to laugh at you. I’ll kick their ass, do you hear me?” Bitty said. 

Chowder tried to imagine Bitty kicking anyone’s ass. It almost made him laugh. Bitty was so tiny, but God only knew what kind of fire was in his core. 

“Is this the little critter?” Bitty asked. 

“Yeah. See his leg? I think it’s broken.” Chowder said, his eyes misty. 

“Aw, poor thing. Let me see him. This kind of thing always happens where I’m from. Little guy probably fell out of his tree. Don’t worry, Chowder, we’ll get him fixed up.” 

Chowder nodded in amazement as Bitty carried the squirrel to the counter and pulled out a dish towel, wrapping him snugly in it. He couldn’t believe that Bitty knew how to take care of animals. He was practically a superhero! Bitty motioned for Chowder to come stand by him. 

“I need you to get me a small cardboard box and a towel. He’s still a baby-baby, so he’ll need milk. We’ll have to get that later unless I can maybe get Shitty or Jack to swing by the pet store.” Bitty said. 

“No! Can we not tell anyone? Please? They’ll make fun of me.” Chowder pleaded. 

Bitty sighed. “If that’s what you want, sweetheart, I won’t. Now, I’ll also need the first aid kit. I’ll patch him up and then we’ll go get the milk.” 

Chowder nodded and ran to gather the supplies Bitty had asked for. He couldn’t believe he had been nervous about asking Bitty for help. Once he had found everything, Chowder went back to the kitchen to hand them over, but stopped suddenly when he heard Bitty’s voice. 

“You’re going to love the Haus while you’re here, little critter, I promise. It can get loud and Holster and Ransom and Shitty can be rambunctious, but it’s actually not as bad as you think. They’re nice guys. Oh, and Dex is going to love you! He loves animals, that boy. Nursey will probably let you sit on his shoulders a lot. I think he used to have small pets, like hamsters or lizards or something. Now, Jack may not be the warmest at first, but he’s actually sweeter than maple syrup. Lardo may try to paint you, but she’s harmless. And, of course, you already met Chowder. Bless his heart, he’s just so nice and happy. You’re lucky he found you.” Bitty said happily. 

Chowder blushed. Bitty sounded so happy, so _proud_ as he talked about the team and the Haus. He spoke so highly of everyone. It made Chowder warm to know that such a great person was always there for him, but it also made his heart ache to realize that he didn’t trust his own team, who promised to have his back through everything. Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the kitchen and set the supplies on the table. 

“Bring me the gauze, a tongue depressor, and the medical tape.” Bitty instructed. 

“How’s this stuff going to help make it better?” Chowder asked. 

“I’m going to set his leg so he can’t move it. Once it’s not moving so much, it’ll start to heal.” 

Bitty grabbed a knife and began slicing the gauze into strips and cutting the tongue depressor into small pieces. Chowder tried not to bounce in excitement as he watched Bitty play veterinarian. It was so cool, watching Bitty work as if he had been taking care of animals his whole life. 

“Sorry for interrupting your baking, Bitty. I just didn’t know where to go.” Chowder said. 

“It’s not a problem, Chowder. You know the Haus and everyone in it is always open. That’s what teams do. They help each other.” Bitty said. 

“I know, but sometimes they don’t.” 

“Is that why you were so worried? You think the team won’t help you?” 

Chowder shrugged, embarrassed. “My old team in San Francisco weren’t the nicest sometimes. I can be annoying and too excited. I know it makes Dex mad. And my old team used to chirp me all the time because I wasn’t exactly a typical hockey player.” 

“Oh, honey, there isn’t a soul on this team that’s a “typical hockey player.” You don’t have to be some walking stereotype for the guys to like you. Also, I think Dex is just a little shy. He’s not used to everything yet.” 

“Sometimes, I get scared. That’s dumb, isn’t it?” 

“Not at all. I still get scared every single time I might get checked. The point is, you should never be scared to be yourself with the guys. That’s why they respect each other; they’re all honest.” 

“But what if the guys don’t like me?” 

“They’ll love you. And if they don’t, their loss. Any guy who would rescue a baby squirrel is a guy I would like to spend time with.” 

Bitty went back to work making the splint, leaving Chowder to deal with the warmth spreading through his body. Without warning, he wrapped Bitty in hug. Bitty patted his arm and smiled. Perhaps this is what love felt like.


	4. Dex

_’Cause he don’t kiss the way I kiss,_

_And he don’t rock the way I rock,_

_He sure don’t fuck the way I fuck,_

_’Cause you know I’m the one number one,_

_I’m second to none!_

Dex bristled as he heard the music coming from the kitchen, uncomfortable with the sudden change from upbeat pop tunes. He had just got used to the constant stream of Beyoncé, Kesha, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry that Bitty played. He had never heard anything like what Bitty was playing now. It was so bass fueled and the words were unbelievably sexual. It was something he expected from Shitty or maybe Ransom. 

_Threw me way too far away,_

_I ain’t no stupid boomerang,_

_I ain’t no bitch for you to fuck,_

_Now you’re all shit out of luck_

 _ _Another cringe took over Dex. God, what did Bitty like about this song? It wasn’t even good! It was more autotune than actual music! Walking into the kitchen, Dex put on his most annoyed frown, ready to demand that Bitty turn the song off. That is, until he actually saw what Bitty was doing.__

 _ _

The blonde was twerking. Honest to God twerking and thrusting his hips and being downright ponographic with his dance moves. Dex felt himself blush to the tips of his ears. Obviously, he was interrupting. He should just go back to his dorm and work on his paper for Physics and - 

“Oh my goodness! I didn’t hear you come in, Dex.” Bitty said, one hand pressed to his chest. 

“I was just leaving. I’m sorry. I’ll just go. Right now.” Dex stammered. 

“You’re welcome to stay. I’m just dancing. You can join in if you want.” 

If Dex’s cheeks could have turned a darker shade of red, they would have. Was Bitty actually asking him to _dance_ with him? He could barely do the Cha-Cha Slide, and that song came with instructions! He definitely couldn’t do what Bitty was doing. He would be too uncomfortable and awkward. Besides, he didn’t exactly fancy himself to be an attractive guy. Sexy would be the exact opposite of any dancing Dex did. 

Dex wondered briefly how Bitty was so comfortable with these sorts of things. He hadn’t batted an eye when he had figured out that Dex had seen him dancing like some kind of stripper. It was as if Bitty had every ounce of confidence in the world, as if his comfort zone encompassed every activity. Another song came on. Dex listened to the lyrics as Bitty began to dance. 

Left, right, step up to the spotlight, 

Why you actin’ uptight? Takin’ you to school, 

High, low, don’t tell me you don’t know how to ever let go 

Takin’ you to school 

More bass. Less outright perversion. It still made Dex uncomfortable; it wasn’t part of the routine. It should go like this: __

1\. Come to the Haus. 

2\. Smell pie. 

3\. Hear Beyoncé. 

4\. Ignore it and find Ransom to help him with Physics. 

However, it was intriguing. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to dance a little. Bitty looked like he was having the time of his life. Dex inhaled deeply to calm his racing heart before stepping up to Bitty and offering his hand. Bitty practically squealed in delight. Dex tensed. 

“Sorry, Dex. I’m just not used to having a partner! This is exciting.” Bitty chirped happily. 

“I don’t know how to dance,” Dex rubbed the back of his neck, “In a sexy way or anything.” 

“Do you want to learn? I can change the song and we can do something you know, if you want. Or we can pull a Shitty and just jump around.” 

Dex shook his head. “I-I think I want to learn. But I won’t be any good.” 

“Don’t even worry about that, honey. Look, just put your hand here,” Bitty guided his hand to his waist, “And the other here,” another hand was guided to the small of Bitty’s back, “And just repeat after me. If it gets awkward or anything, tell me, and we’ll stop.” 

Dex swallowed hard as he nodded. This had to be the worst idea he had ever had. Bitty smiled at him before rolling his hips into Dex’s, making Dex grip his waist tighter in response before he did the same. Two hands cupped Dex’s face before they were thrown above Bitty’s head. The blonde squatted down and gave his ass a wiggle before sliding back up and pressing himself against Dex’s chest. Dex tried to copy the movement, but when he tried, he accidentally hit Bitty in the face and when he tried to shake his butt, he lost his balance and fell. Bitty simply smiled and helped him up. 

“I’m so sorry, Bitty. I’m screwing this up for you.” Dex said. 

“You aren’t going to get everything on the first try. Do you want to try again?” Bitty asked. 

Dex shook his head. “No. I think I’ve embarrassed myself enough. Please don’t mention this to anyone.” 

“Your secret’s safe with me, Dex. Maybe we do it again some other time, if you want. You can teach me some of your moves.” 

Dex huffed a laugh. That was about as like to happen as the Mayan apocalypse. It did feel nice, though, not being pushed into doing things he didn’t want to. And it felt nice to try something different. Maybe change wasn’t so bad. 

“Yeah, I guess. Maybe I can teach you how to two-step.” Dex said, his voice hushed. 

“It’s a date.” Bitty said with a wink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The songs used are "Second to None" by Chris Crocker and "Pop That Lock" by Adam Lambert.


	5. Shitty

When the team walked into the bar on Saturday night, the tables were all arranged in a semicircle around a projector screen and covered in small, joystick like machines. Everyone looked to Shitty and Lardo, whose eyes gleamed mischievously.

“It’s trivia night, motherfuckers!” Shitty bellowed. 

“Aw, hell yeah!” Ransom cheered. 

“Bro, what’s the team situation? I gotta be with Rans. We’ll kick major ass.” Holster said, high-fiving Ransom. 

“Jack, you’re captain one. Holster, you’re captain two. Pick your teams, boys, four to five per team.” Lardo said. 

After ten minutes of screaming, fighting, and near death experiences, the teams were finally formed. Jack had Chowder, Lardo, and Nursey. Holster had Shitty, Dex, and Ransom. Okay, so they were almost formed. Bitty still stood between the two groups, bouncing on his toes excitedly. Honestly, he loved trivia. He was ready to kick ass and take names. Holster and Jack looked at one another with pained looks. As horrible as it might sound, neither of them wanted Bitty on their team. The shorter boy knew baking and figure skating and that was about it. Whoever had him on their team had the definite disadvantage. Finally, Jack sighed. 

“Bittle, you’re with me. Let’s find a table.” Jack said. 

Bitty clapped his hands and found them two tables directly in front of the screen. The team settled, those of age ordered their first round of drinks, and they got ready to play. Suddenly, Bitty gasped, rummaging in his messenger bag. He pulled out a small glasses case and opened it up, putting the glasses inside on. 

Shitty almost spit out his beer. 

He had never seen Bitty wear glasses before. They suited him well, truth be told. The frames were squared, made with thick black plastic, and sat perfectly on the bridge of Bitty’s nose. Shitty had to look away from the other boy. Was it getting hot in here? Lardo smirked at him. 

“Wow, Bitty. Are you actually wearing your glasses outside of the solitude of the Haus kitchen?” Lardo teased. 

“Well, I have to be able to see the question to beat y’all!” Bitty shot back. 

The rest of the team laughed nervously as Lardo and Bitty continued to chirp each other. Yeah, the _glasses_ were going to help Bitty. Not. 

Another twenty minutes passed before one of the bar employees stood in front of the screen and began riling the crowd up for the game. The rules were simple: wait until the question is read to buzz in, if one team missed the question, there would be another chance for someone else to answer. After what felt like forever, the first question popped up on the board. 

_In The Odyssey, what is the name of the whirlpool monster Odysseus must pass?_

Well, shit. Jack hated mythology. At least he wasn’t the only one looking stumped. Everyone else seemed a bit out of sorts as well. Except for whoever just buzzed in. 

“Who is Charybdis?” Bitty answered. 

The entire team looked over in surprise. Had Bitty actually known the answer? Was this a different universe? Shitty actually spit out his beer. 

“What?” Bitty demanded, “I love _The Odyssey._ ” 

The next question appeared, and Jack’s team fell into a pattern. They would answer what they could and Bitty would pick up the - admittedly heavy - slack. Holster’s team was falling apart, though. Holster and Ransom cared way more about getting absolutely hammered than the game, leaving Shitty and Dex to fend for themselves. Shitty was willing to admit that he was too distracted by the way Bitty would consistently buzz in and give an answer to answer himself. So, poor Dex was all they had. 

_What young adult author has written LGBT centered novels such as Boyfriends with Girlfriends, Rainbow Boys, and The God Box?_

“Who is Alex Sanchez?” Bitty said. 

Nope. Shitty was absolutely done. How had he missed the fact that Bitty was so fucking smart? Or that he liked Alex Sanchez? What else did he not know about Bitty? 

“Shit, bro, I’m fucking sorry that I didn’t want you on my team. You’re so fucking smart. What the fuck, man? Where have you been hiding that shit?” Holster slurred. 

“My secrets have secrets, Holtz. I like to keep the mystery going.” Bitty joked. 

Shitty got up and sprinted to the bathroom. _Goddamn it, dick, now is not the time for a boner. Just because Bitty looks cute in glasses and has the brain of a fucking MENSA candidate does not mean you get to just become erect all willy-nilly,_ he thought. Locking himself in a stall, Shitty unzipped his shorts and reached his hand into his underwear, wrapping it around his erect penis and running his thumb over the head. He bit back a moan. He could only imagine what Bitty would look like doing this. His smaller hands holding him, stroking him, _jerking_ him off. His bright eyes never looking away from Shitty’s face, that cute Southern accent saying dirty things. That alone was enough to get Shitty close to coming. 

“Shits, are you okay?” Jack asked, entering the bathroom. 

“Ah, fuck. I’m g-good. Just taking a piss. Jesus fucking Christ!” Shitty groaned. 

“Are you...masturbating? In a public bathroom?” 

“Yes, Jack. Okay?” 

“Why?” 

“Because Bitty’s fucking hot as shit when he’s showing off his intelligence and wearing those fucking glasses.” 

Jack blushed. “He is. I feel bad for underestimating him.” 

“We all fucking should. Now, are you going to get that tight ass in here or not?” 

“Open the door.” 

Shitty flung the stall door open and pulled Jack inside before locking it again. Jack pressed a kiss to Shitty’s jaw. 

“We should talk to Bitty about joining in on everything.” Shitty said. 

Jack nodded. Shitty yelped as the captain nipped at his earlobe. Well, talking to Bitty could wait.


	6. Nursey

To Nursey, life is chill. It’s easy to let things roll off of his back and go with the flow. It’s why he clashes with Dex, who wants everything to be organized and planned. Nursey likes to have no worries about what’s coming next. It makes life more fun and exponentially simpler.

Maybe that was why Nursey had been put off by Bitty at first. He still remembered the campus tour. Bitty had been vibrating with excitement, handing out goody bags with baked goods and Samwell swag. He remembered wondering what the hell possessed a guy to bake mini pies and cookies for guys he didn’t even know, why this little guy was even _on_ the team. It was obvious that worked hard for his spot. Nursey can’t imagine being that devoted to something. 

It only took a month at Samwell to realize that Bitty was always as bubbly as he was at the tour. Always singing, dancing, baking, and mothering the team, as if it was his job. He never seemed to be sad or angry. Nursey was a laid back guy, but shit, even _he_ let out his less than easygoing emotions. It was unnerving. 

That is why Nursey was horrified to find Bitty sitting on the kitchen floor with his knees to his chest, sobbing softly. He actually considered backing out of the room and just not getting involved. He wasn’t good with crying. Yet, Nursey dragged himself towards Bitty and sat beside him, bumping the smaller boys shoulder with his own. Bitty looked up. 

“Oh, hello, Nursey. I’m sorry, I must look like a mess.” Bitty hiccuped. 

“It’s chill, man.” Nursey said, wincing. 

_What the hell, Derek, he’s crying! You don’t tell a crying person that it’s chill! Jesus Christ,_ Nursey thought. Bitty began to get up, most likely to get some tissues to clean up his face. Nursey grabbed his hand and pulled him down. 

“What’s up, Bitty? I’ve never seen you cry. Did something happen?” Nursey asked. 

Bitty sniffled. “You’ve seen me cry. I cried yesterday over the cookies Chowder and Dex made. And over Holster making that flower crown for Ransom.” 

“That was, like, happy crying. This isn’t.” 

“I’m fine, sugar. You don’t need to hear about my sob stories. Now, how about some biscuits?” 

“Dude, biscuits aren’t going to fix anything.” 

“Maybe they will! You don’t know!” 

Nursey stared at Bitty, whose chest was heaving with anger. He definitely wasn’t equip for this. 

“Talk to me, Bitty.” Nursey said. 

“Am I too gay?” Bitty asked. 

“That’s not even a thing. Who the hell told you that?” 

“There’s this guy in one of my classes and he asked me why I was such a faggot. And I’m used to that. I am. It happened all through school. But-But I called home to talk to Mama and Coach picked up and I-I,” Bitty gasped for breath as a new wave a tears took over him, “I thought I could talk to him. I thought I was now the hockey playing, Southern boy son he was proud of. And I talked to him and he told me it was my fault. That I was too feminine.” 

Nursey pulled Bitty closer to him so the boy could cry into his chest. As warm tears soaked his shirt, Nursey thought of what to say. He was used to just saying ‘fuck you’ to anyone that gave him trouble for liking guys. It went along with being chill; people’s opinions of him meant nothing. It obviously wasn’t the same for Bitty. A sick feeling settled in the pit of Nursey’s stomach. 

“I’m sorry, Bitty. What was the guy’s name?” Nursey asked. 

“Sam Briggs. I d-don’t see why that matters.” Bitty said, his voice quivering. 

“Nothing, man. Are you going to be okay? I have to meet Chowder in a few minutes.” Nursey said. 

Bitty nodded and wiped his eyes, giving Nursey a watery smile. “Thank you for lending an ear, Nursey. I’ll make you that mint pie you like.” 

Nursey smiled back and gave Bitty one last hug before heading out the door. He was going to find this Sam Briggs. There were some people worth losing his chill over, and the guy who hurt Bitty was definitely it.


	7. Jack

Hockey is not a graceful sport. It is full of rough contact, bulky pads and skates, and raw aggression. The sport is beautiful in its own way, but not because it is conventional pretty. That’s why Jack likes it. It shows the beauty of power and anger, how destructive means can create something stunning.

Bitty, however, made hockey seem graceful. He was small and lithe, able to spin and dance on the ice like a ballerina would on a stage. He was always doing jumps and tricks during practice. Jack sometimes wished he could incorporate them into a play. It was the speed that really made Bitty seem elegant, though. He was the fastest skater Jack had ever seen. Even when he was dodging other players, he did it with speed and precision. 

The buzzer sounded to signal half-time. Despite that, a player from the other team’s defense slammed into Dex, throwing him to the ground. Nursey yelled at the defenseman as he helped Dex up and over to the bench. Bitty immediately began fussing over the younger defenseman, who was blushing to the tips of his ears. Jack made sure Dex was okay before he skated to the referee to ask him why the other team wasn’t being penalized for illegal checking. The referee just told him to get back to his own bench. 

“What did they say?” Bitty asked, cleaning out a scrape on Dex’s face. 

“They aren’t going to do anything.” Jack said. 

“Oh, what a bunch of crap! Dex, honey, are you going to be alright? He won’t hit you again. I’ve got your back.” 

“Bitty, it’s okay. It happens.” Dex said. 

“It wasn’t legal.” 

The conversation ended there, and the team sat in silence. 

****

Bitty became a beast on the ice. He skated faster, pushed harder, and became angrier. They had scored three points in twenty minutes. It was absolutely insane. Jack watched him in awe. He had never seen Bitty look so intense, so ready to tear another team apart. It made Jack’s heart race in exhilaration.

Well, it did until the guy who checked Dex began going after the red haired freshman again. Nursey and Shitty were already blocked by the other team, leaving Dex completely open. Jack watched in horror as the defenseman grew closer and closer to Dex, looking downright murderous. 

Right before he reached Dex, Bitty swiftly skated over to him and checked him as hard as he could, sending him into the boards. Dex was able to get away with the puck and he passed it to Jack, who was able to take it to the goal. His shot was blocked, but it didn’t matter. The buzzer had sounded. The game was over. They had won. The team geared up for a celly, and Jack was already hugging Bitty. He was so proud. 

“Oh my God, Bitty, you did it. You checked him. You did it.” Jack whispered. 

“I told Dex I had his back. Plus, I had a pretty great coach.” Bitty said. 

It wasn’t often that Jack had a teammate who cared so much about everyone on the team. With a smile, he hugged Bitty again. He was so goddamn proud of the smaller boy. Bitty had shown what Jack loved so much about his sport; he had turned his anger into beauty and his power into protection. Maybe hockey wasn’t a elegant sport. That didn’t matter. What mattered was that it had elegant players.


	8. Negotiations

“Shut the fuck up, guys, Bitty’s about to be here!” Shitty exclaimed.

“The only one being loud is you, Shits.” Jack pointed out, spooning pasta onto the plates on the table. 

“What if we’re supposed to be loud? What if Bitty thinks we’re being weird? He’s going to know something’s up!” Chowder panicked. 

“You’re always weird, Chow. _That’s_ not going to tip him off.” Holster teased, kissing Chowder’s forehead. 

“What’s really weird is that Dex baked a pie. What flavor is it again? Blueberry?” Nursey asked. 

“He said it was his favorite,” Dex muttered, looking at his shoes, “Don’t be an asshole.” 

“Shut up, motherfuckers, Bitty’s coming up the sidewalk! Someone light the goddamn candles,” Shitty looked to Ransom, who had picked up a lighter, “ _Not_ you, Rans! Last time you almost set the Haus on fire.” 

It was a fact that at this point, everyone was freaking out in their own way. Shitty was louder than usual, Jack quieter. Chowder was five seconds away from having a nervous breakdown, Ransom was slowly descending into coral reef mode, and Holster was picking at his outfit and his hair like a model would. Nursey and Dex were communicating solely in chirps. They were a fucking mess. It wasn’t their fault, though; tonight was the night they would finally ask Bitty to be part of their relationship. This could make or break the team. There was too much at stake to not be nervous. 

The front door swung open and Bitty sauntered through it, carefully setting his bag by the door. He stripped himself of his jacket, gloves, and hat before entering the kitchen. When he saw everyone standing there, dressed in their Sunday best with a home cooked meal on the table, tears filled his eyes. 

“Y’all, what is all this? Did you - is this for _me_?” Bitty asked, a hand coming to rest over his heart. 

“Well, yeah, bro.” Holster said. 

“Goodness, why? Am I forgetting about something? Not that I don’t appreciate this! It’s fabulous, really. I’m just confused. Y’all didn’t have to do anything for me.” 

Jack stepped forward, wringing his hands anxiously. They had agreed beforehand that Jack and Shitty should do most of the talking, since they were the most experienced. However, Jack didn’t have a stellar track record with eloquence. He wasn’t even granted note cards. Shitty had told him it would be too formal. 

“This is, uh, this is a date, Bittle.” Jack stammered. 

“A date? With who?” Bitty asked. 

“With you. With all of us. We wanted to talk to you about something important.” 

“Okay. I’m all ears,” Bitty took Jack’s hand, “Don’t be nervous. I ain’t mad at you, honey.” 

Jack looked to Shitty for help. Luckily, Shitty was fluent in looks of desperation. 

“Look, Bits, y’know how we’re all together?” Shitty asked. 

“Of course. You’ve told me. You and the guys are dating.” Bitty said, head cocked in confusion. 

“Right. You know that we all like you, too, right?” 

“Shitty,” Ransom hissed, “You’re being too forward, bro.” 

“Seriously.” Holster agreed. 

“ _Anyway,_ I’m just going to say it. We want to ask you to join our relationship.” Shitty said. 

“If you want to,” Jack added quickly, seeing Bitty’s shocked expression, “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, eh?” 

“Y’all, I don’t know what to say. You - You actually want me to be a part of this? Romantically? Sexually?” Bitty asked softly. 

“Only if you want to, man. We’ve wanted to ask you for awhile now. We just weren’t sure.” Nursey said. 

“Are you sure? I mean, I have no experience. I’ve never even kissed anyone. I don’t know if I’d even be a good boyfriend. What if I mess it up? I don’t want to ruin what y’all have. You all seem so happy already.” 

“We’d be even happier with you, Eric.” Jack said. 

Bitty sat at the table, his head in his hands. He had thought about this before; he had thought about being able to kiss the guys, about being able to hold their hands. He never thought they would actually ask him to be a part of their relationship. Bitty wanted it. He wanted it so fucking bad. The only thing he didn’t want was to ruin everything. Knowing his luck, he would. 

“Bitty, you don’t have to decide right now. We can eat. You can think it over for a few days.” Shitty said. 

“No, no. You deserve an answer. I-I want this. I do.” Bitty said. 

All of the tension in the room seemed to melt away after the words left Bitty’s mouth. It took all of five seconds for everyone to crowd around Bitty, enveloping him in a group hug of epic proportions. Chowder cupped the smaller boy’s face and kissed his lips. 

“Well, now that that’s out of the way, I would like to eat this amazing dinner my boyfriends prepared for me before it gets cold.” Bitty said, grinning from ear to ear. 

The others nodded, taking their seats. Boyfriends - that was a word Bitty never thought would fit so well his his mouth.


	9. Bonus: Kent Parson

If there is one thing to be said about Kent Parson, it’s that he’s always on the prowl. It doesn’t matter where he is or what he’s doing - he’s always looking to score. Tonight was no exception.

Haus kegsters were legendary, even for big-time NHL stars like Kent. If one went to one, they would most likely have a difficult time remembering it the next day, which was great because Kent never had to get attached to his one-night stand. Whatever Shitty used to make that tub juice was fucking magical. Plus, Jack was always there, and Kent loved to screw with him. The taller man was pressed into a corner - some things never changed, Kent supposed - with his hands making small gestures as he talked to someone. That brand of excitement was one Kent had never seen on his friend before. With all the swagger he could muster, he headed towards Jack. Whatever lucky person he was taking home tonight would have to wait. 

Kent stopped in his tracks when he finally got a glimpse of the person Jack was talking to. He was tiny and blonde, with big brown eyes and the sweetest face Kent had ever seen. He was gorgeous. Jack would wreck a boy like that on accident because he was so much bigger. Just like that, Kent had found his catch for the night, no waiting required. 

“Hey, Zimms. Who’s this?” Kent asked, sliding into the space of the little blonde. 

“Oh. Hey, Kent. This is Eric.” Jack said. 

“Call me Bitty; everyone but Mr. Zimmermann here does.” The blonde - Bitty - teased, shaking Kent’s hand. 

“Well, Bitty, I want to dance, but I have no partner. Think you can help me out?” 

Bitty gave Kent the dirtiest look the taller blonde had ever seen in his life. Kent actually felt a little hurt. The kid looked like he was all sunshine and rainbows and pie. How was he even capable of giving a look like that? It didn’t deter Kent, though; he was just going to change his plan up a little. He had to get Bitty in bed. He wanted to. And Kent Parson always got what he wanted. 

“I mean, you look like you want to dance. You’re probably good, too. You aren’t going to get anywhere near the dance floor with Zimms.” Kent said coolly. 

Just as Bitty was about to respond, one of the freshmen - one too excited for his own good, Chowder is his name, Kent thinks - bounced over and took him by the arm. 

“Come on, Bitty, dance with me!” Chowder pleaded. 

And just like that, Kent was denied a dance. He was over shown by a _freshman._ The only guy in the room he wanted to get busy with picked a spastic little freshman instead of an NHL star. It was certainly a large ego deflator. 

“Chowder’s his boyfriend, Kenny,” Jack said, giving Kent a hard glare, “And Bitty doesn’t like it when people don’t respect his relationship.” 

“I wasn’t disrespecting him, Jack. I didn’t know he was dating someone!” Kent exclaimed. 

“So you didn’t think he was dating me? It didn’t even cross your mind?” 

Kent had the decency to look embarrassed. “Okay, _maybe_ I thought about, but look at him. That _ass_. He’s fucking hot. We can share, right?” 

“No. Eric is a _person_ , not an object. He’s in a relationship and you’re not invited.” 

Kent looked out to the dance floor and saw Bitty grinding between Chowder and Shitty. Suddenly, a lightbulb went off. Bitty wasn’t just Chowder’s boyfriend; he was Shitty’s and, quite possibly, Jack’s. Could this get any worse? 

“You got him? Jack Zimmermann, you lucky asshole.” Kent said. 

“I am. Eric’s great.” Jack said fondly. 

Yes, Kent liked to fuck with Jack, and maybe he just liked to cause chaos in general, but how could he when Jack looked so happy for once? He assumed he would just have to find another pretty person to catch his eye.


End file.
